Abstract
The purpose of this study was to investigate relations with the deflection characteristic of the physical center of mass at landing of the backward stepping and the joint moment, and the effect of the aging. The participants in this study were seventeen elderly and eleven young subjects. Using a three-dimensional motion capture device and force plates, we measured the center of mass deflection characteristics of the body, thorax, pelvis segment and the moment of the lower leg joint during landing of the backward stepping. The results showed a significant negative correlation between the amount of the body center of mass lateral deflection and ankle plantar flexion/eversion moments in the elderly group. This study indicated that plantar flexion/eversion moment of the ankle joint were involved in physical deflection characteristics during backward stepping landing reactions of the elderly group.
